Category Archives: Practical Ideas

We might think the compass useful if we have run away for awhile and decide to find our way back home! Use: The compass will encourage you to check in on the direction you are going and also help you to reorient to your True North. It will help when you get lost in…

When you are off balance did you ever notice how the children’s behavior spirals downward? Use: To check in and make sure you are in balance. The following ideas will help you cope and find and maintain balance. If you find yourself overly busy make sure to reflect on your choices and counterbalance with more…

If the only tool you have is a hammer, then you might see many situations as a nail. Explore these other suggestions to see if you might enhance your tool box and also create more effective ways to parent your child. A Parenting Tool Box Screw and Screw Driver We might think using the screw…

Thanks to a participant in an ongoing Parenting class for submitting the following question: “Everyday when I drop my 3 yr.old daughter off at daycare, she screams, cries, clings to me and is experiencing separation anxiety. What can I do to make drop off easier for both of us?” As a Montessori teacher…

There are many moving parts to effective discipline and if you have been trying out Positive Discipline you may be surprised at the steep learning curve. Hopefully this list will help you to gain a little more clarity and direction. 10 Characteristics of Positive Discipline Views problems and challenges as opportunities for the child to learn.…

When you want your child to listen, be sure to maintain eye contact.Since 80% of communication is nonverbal you want to be sure that your child is getting the message you are sending. Be firm and consistent. This means you say it like you mean it and follow through with what you If…

Anything of great value should be kept in the Vault. The sacred trust we build with our children has several aspects to it. What’s in your Vault? The first time I heard the term Vault when referring to keeping someone’s confidences was on a Seinfield episode a few decades back. The term seemed to…

As a young mother I can remember how the stress and the holidays and its approach left me feeling eager yet concerned about all the work that lay ahead. I was fortunate in that many extended family members lived near and were understanding about my desire not to shuttle my children from our home on Christmas…

Without a doubt there will be days when emotions run high and challenges seem plenty. During that time it’s wonderful to have a trick bag of coping skills at your disposal. If you’re asking yourself the question, “how to cope with stress?” There are fun ways to defuse and bring calm to mind and body…

Language is a powerful tool and it is well known that the child understands much more than she can communicate. The brain is hard at work cataloging the meaning of words and gathering new concepts via context and experience. It is wise if you are a hands-on parent in this regard, talking through daily routines…